BAU HS: Not Goodbye
by 14hpgirl19
Summary: It's the day they've all been dreading. The end of summer has arrived, and the team has to split up. But this can't be goodbye, can it? Hotch/Prentiss JJ/Reid Morgan/Garcia


**For the record, where I am it's still July 16th, which means it has been one year since the last chapter of BAU High School was posted. The support I've gotten since then still overwhelms me. Thank you so much to everyone who has made this journey with me. I wanted to post a special one-shot commemorating the anniversary, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it!**

**I have another message at the end, so stick around for that! =)**

The end of the summer was fast approaching. Some kids were spending their final days at the beach, soaking up the sun while they could. Others were at the mall, making final purchases on clothes and supplies. Every day was spent sleeping in, each student frantically trying to fix their sleeping patterns before school began.

It was a dreadful time of year, but for six best friends, it was even worse. It was much, much worse because this year, instead of just going back to Thomas Jefferson High School, they would be heading to different parts of the country to attend different schools. And to top it all off, they wouldn't have each other.

They had only been a full group since January, but it felt like much longer. Once they found each other, it became apparent that they were the kind of friends legends were made of. The stories people told, the movies that were created, they all revolved around friendships just like theirs.

And now they would have to separate.

The Monday morning came all too suddenly for the group. It was the beginning of the end, with two of their members departing that day.

They spent the night before at Aaron Hotchner's house. His family had been away for the night, so he invited his friends over. They watched movies, ate junk food, and talked the night away. It was just like all the others times they had hung out over the summer, only now there was the looming threat of separation.

As the sun began to come up, it found the friends sprawled out over Aaron's large living room. Spencer Reid was curled up on one side of a couch, his feet tangling with Jennifer Jareau's, who was occupying the other side. Derek Morgan was stretched out on the floor, a hand holding Penelope Garcia's. She was wrapped up in a cocoon of fluffy blankets beside him. As for the host, he was lying on the other couch. His girlfriend, Emily Prentiss, was snuggled up against his side. His arms were around her, and her head was on his chest.

Aaron woke up first. He blinked, then dropped his gaze to the girl next to him. A smile touched his lips as he took in her sleeping form. She looked beautiful to him. She was always beautiful.

Aaron thought he would have several moments to himself, but less than a minute after he opened his eyes, Spencer let out a strangled yelp. He kicked JJ and fell off the couch, landing on Derek. The older boy's eyes flew open, and he grunted loudly in pain. This caused him to squeeze his and, by extension, Penelope's, hands. Within seconds everyone was awake.

"Goddamn it, Spencer," Derek rasped. Spencer rolled off him as fast as he could.

"Oh, my God, Derek, I am so sorry," said Spencer, leaping up from the floor. He covered his mouth with his hands. "I had a nightmare, and I-"

"Save it, Pretty Boy," muttered Derek. He pushed himself up onto his feet and rubbed his stomach. Spencer steeled himself for a verbal beating, but instead was treated to a hug. It was quick, but it was enough to get the point across.

Normally he would've been surprised by this, but he knew why Derek was being so understanding about the whole thing. Today was the day he and Penelope would be flying out to California for their freshmen year at the California Institute of Technology. Student Orientation was later this week, and they started classes next Monday.

In a few days Derek would be heading out to Chicago to get settled at Northwestern, and next week JJ would be off to the University of Pittsburgh. Aaron and Emily would be the last to depart at the end of next week. Together they would travel to New Haven, Connecticut, ready to begin studying at Yale University.

It was a depressing two weeks for the gang, and they were woefully unprepared. Sure, they had spent every waking moment since graduation together, but that had only strengthened their bond. They were not ready to leave.

Penelope's phone buzzed from the floor next to her nest. She read the text and frowned, a sight that the team wasn't used to seeing.

"My mom will be here in a half-hour to drive Spencer and I to the airport," she reported. Everyone remained silent for a moment.

"So, this is it, isn't it?" asked Emily.

"I don't think I'm ready," Spencer fretted. This had been a major source of stress for the teen all summer. It was hard enough to be the youngest senior in high school, but now he would be off to a school filled with much older students. The fact that Penelope would be by his side was only a small comfort.

"Let's not worry about that now," Aaron said firmly. "Who wants pancakes?"

Everyone half-heartedly cheered as they walked into the kitchen. Aaron made pancakes for them, having perfected his flipping skills for his younger brother Sean. He was practically a champion.

The group struggled to keep the happy feelings from last week going, but it was clear no one was in the mood to be in a cheerful. Reality had finally come knocking, and it was time to face the music.

Before long, the six teens had cleaned up their stuff in the living room and were dressed. They sat on the front steps outside, waiting for Penelope's mother.

"So, can we worry now?" asked JJ. Her fingers were entwined with Spencer's, and her gaze was on the ground. A lump was beginning to form in her throat.

Aaron didn't say anything. He'd known for ages that they would have to say goodbye eventually, but he hadn't counted on it coming so fast. This summer had been the best he'd ever had. It was the first he had spent with real friends who loved him for who he was. It was the first he had spent with his true love, who would luckily be going to the same school as him. Still, his other friends wouldn't be.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys," Penelope choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Hey now," Derek said, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "You make it sound like it's goodbye forever."

"Isn't it, though?" Spencer ground out. He was taking it worse than anyone else. These people were the only ones who had ever accepted him. How could he survive without them?

"No!" cried JJ, fiercely. She looked her boyfriend in the eye. "Do you think it is?"

He swallowed and tore his gaze away. "I don't want it to be, but I've heard the stories. You know, friends who try to stay close during college, but they can't do it because they change, and they're too far away, and-"

"We're not like those stories," said Emily, softly. "We're gonna be friends for life. Our kids are gonna be friends. We're going to attend each other's weddings. Hell, we'll be a part of the weddings! We're going to spend holidays with each other. We'll go on vacations together." She looked at everyone one by one. "We are a family. And families don't separate."

"How do you know?" Spencer questioned. He still looked nervous.

"Because I know. We won't let it happen. Will we?"

"No," answered Aaron. "We won't."

"Our leader has spoken," JJ intoned.

That was enough to break the dam. They all burst out laughing, falling over one another in their attempt to remain upright. All the pain disappeared temporarily. It was enough to renew their hope in their friendship.

A car horn bleeping interrupted their fun. Their laughs subsided. Mrs. Garcia had arrived.

Emily gave Penelope a tight hug. Pen had been Emily's first friendly face at Jefferson High. Without her, she never would have found Derek or Spencer. Emily ruffled Spencer's hair affectionately.

"Look out for him, will you?" she asked Penelope, who nodded in response.

Aaron came next. He hugged them both, something he rarely did for anyone besides Emily.

"Stay out of trouble, you two."

"Always," Spencer replied. Aaron smiled, though it was a small one.

JJ hugged Penelope with promises to call each other every week. Though they started the year as enemies, they would end it as best friends.

Derek hugged Spencer for the second time that morning. They had been friends for years, with Derek always defending Spencer when the need arose. Now Spencer could fend for himself, and Derek couldn't be prouder.

Penelope's mother honked again, but Penelope just gave a dismissive wave. She wasn't done her goodbyes yet!

"Hey, Baby Girl." Derek wrapped his arms around her waist, a sad smile on his face.

"Hey, you."

"What, that's it? Just 'you'? I'm hurt."

She let out a watery chuckle. "Can't manage much else."

Derek bent down and kissed her. Penelope pulled him as close as possible, desperate to hold on to this moment.

"Promise me you won't find some sorority girl to fall in love with," she whispered.

"Promise. Promise me you won't find some Mr. Wonderful to fall in love with."

"Not a chance. There's only one for me."

Derek smiled. "I love you, you know that right?"

Penelope's heart warmed. "I love you too."

They kissed for one last time, and then Penelope took off across the lawn, trying to get away before more tears fell.

Meanwhile, JJ and Spencer were having their own goodbye a few feet away. Spencer was holding her close as she cried into his shirt.

"This isn't fair," she sobbed. "I feel like I've hardly spent time with you."

"Me too," he said thickly. He pushed back a strand of blonde hair from her face. "We've been through so much in the past year."

"I can't believe it's only been a year. It doesn't seem like enough."

"Would you change it?" Spencer asked. She looked up at him. "Would you have us be friends for longer than a year?" JJ was silent as she thought about it.

"No," she answered finally. "Then it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be us."

Spencer touched his lips to hers, and she eagerly pressed forward. It was passionate and mournful at the same time.

"I love you," she gasped once they parted. Spencer's eyes widened in surprise. They had never said those words before.

JJ was afraid he wouldn't say them back, so she stepped away as if she hadn't said anything. She was about to say her final goodbye when Spencer spoke.

"I love you too."

The two shared a secret smile, and Spencer went to join Penelope by the car. JJ moved over to Derek, Aaron, and Emily. They were all standing by the curb.

"So this isn't goodbye?" asked JJ as Mrs. Garcia pulled into the street. The four remaining teens waved at the car until it had disappeared out of sight.

"This definitely is not goodbye," Aaron insisted. "You heard Emily. We're friends for _life._"

"Oh, so I'm stuck with you guys, huh?" Derek joked.

"Yep," Aaron replied, punching him on the arm. "Deal with it."

"Happily."

**A/N 2: So, out of curiosity, is anyone still interested in a sequel to BAU HS? I've started throwing around ideas for it in my head, and I want to know if anyone is up for it. Let me know, and we'll see where it goes from there!**

**Thanks for reading! =) **


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